Contemporary Poetry

xxii contemporary poetry

Date Historical Events Literary Events

2001 Two hijacked airliners destroy the Lorna Goodison,

Twin Towers in New York, and the Travelling Mercies; John

Pentagon in Washington DC is Cayley’s windsound wins

similarly damaged in a successful Al Electronic Literature Award

Qaeda terrorist operation; the US-led for Poetry

invasion of Afghanistan begins and

the ruling Taliban government is

overthrown.

2002 The Euro, already formally in Kate Fagan, The Long

existence, becomes an active currency Moment; Sujata Bhatt, A

in daily use in sixteen European Colour for Solitude

Union countries.

2003 The USA and UK invade Iraq in Jennifer Moxley, The Sense

search of Saddam Hussein’s ‘weapons Record; Don Paterson,

of mass destruction’, none is found; Landing Light; Todd Swift

the Space Shuttle Columbia (ed.), 100 Poets Against the

disintegrates on re-entry into the War

Earth’s atmosphere, killing all

members of its crew.

2004 Indian Ocean earthquake results in Choman Hardi, Life for

Indonesian tsunami killing nearly Us; Claudia Rankine,

230 , 000 in 14 different countries. Please Don’t Let Me Be

Lonely; Tusiata Avia, Wild

Dogs Under My Skirt

2005 The Kyoto Protocol on global Eliot Weinberger, What I

warming goes into effect but without Heard About Iraq; Gary

the signature of the USA. Snyder, Axe Handles;

Juliana Spahr, this

connection of everyone with

lungs; Jackie Kay, Life Mask

WILLIAMS PRINT.indd xxiiWILLIAMS PRINT.indd xxii 08/02/2011 11:4008/02/2011 11:40